Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-09-06
IMPROVE MENTS.
MONTHLY MEETING OF THE EX.
ECUTiVE COMMITTEE
OF the Improvement Association
Reports of COmmittecs-Street
Railway Franchises.

The kXecntive Committee of the city
aud County Improvement Association held
its monthly meeting last evening. There
and many members OF the Association
were also present.
The list eff Standing and Special Com
Hsittees YVES called for reports, and verbal
Or written responses made from the most
of them. Some reported progress and
others made statements of work accom-
plished. Judge Beatty, from the Special
Committee on the establishing of a new
market on | street, and the condemnation
of portion of Chinatown for the purpose,
stated that the matter had been presented
to the City Board of Trustees, together with
a draft of an ordinance looking to the con-
domination of the property referred to.
The ordinance had been referred to the
City Attorney for his opinion, and was
still in his hands. The Board, he said, did
not desire to act until the report was re-
ceived back.
The Chair announced that on account of
the absence of Mr.. Gallatin from the city
much of the time, he had at his own re-
quest been relieved from Craftsmanship of
the Committee on Driveways and County
Roads, and ex- Supervisor Fassett appointed
in his place.
Supervisor Tebbets, from the same COM
mittee, stated that the committee hoped to
do considerable towards improving the
roads leading from the city into the coun-
try. He thought the Freeport road should
be promptly grayelled, and urged that ex-
ertion be made to get property owners
along that thoroughfare TO subscribe to-
wards the work. He said that he thought
small tax of = or 2! cents would be
levied next year for sprinkling the princi-
pal road for from five to ten miles out from
the city.
Dr.. Cluness reported upon the subject
OF disposal of garbage, that his committee
had been in correspondence with parties
at the East and in Europe, and received
many replies as tc furnaces for garbage Gre
nation. He read several letters on the SUBJ
ject, and will make final report when
further replies have come to hand. One of
the furnaces described would cost $500 to
$1,000, and would, it was claimed, at small
expense for fuel, consume all kinds of gar
bage, as also, night soil, stable cleanings,
etc.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SEWERAGE
AND DRAINAGE.
DR.. Parkinson submitted the following
report upon sewerage and drainage:
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SEWERAGE AND
DRAINAGE.
committee, consisting of the following
gentlemen, W. C. Van Fleet, W. F. Knox, C. H
Cummings, John Mcneil, o. ?. Willis, (. S.
Parker l.. +. Bassett, w. S. Zeelin and J. H.
PARKINSON, having been appointed for the pur-
pose of investigating the subject of sewerage
and drainage in Sacramento, has carefully con
sidered the question. The committee in avoid
ing details and matters of controversy or specu-
lation, has confined its report to the following
conclusions and recommendations which are
herewith submitted:
l. The committee desires to state that in its
opinion the city sewerage, as now existing,
compares most favorably with that of other and
neighboring towns.
,. The committee believes that a decision on
carriage and disposal can only be reached after
the consideration of the question and of speci-
nc plan by competent authority.
). The committee realizes that successful sys-
tenn cannot be adopted without the expenditure
OF a considerable sum of money.
4. The existence of numerous uncemented
cesspools is constant menace to the health of
our city, the condition of subsoil being such as
to readily favor the wide dissemination of excre-
mentltlouS matter.
5. ANY system OF sewerage which may be
adopted must be wholly artificial. The differ
ence il level between the extremes of the CITY
from north to south being eight feet giving a
fall of four inches to the block which is quite
insufficient. To obtain the necessary fall, deep
CulIlIlS anu tACdNdtlOn would be necessary. OW-
ing to the level of the ground water which is in
winter nothing, and i'll summer ten to twelve
feet, the expense of such works while
practicable, would be greatly increased Should
such work be successfully completed the prob
lem of discharge and outfall would have then
to be considered, and power provided to over
come the increased difference in level. 1t is be-
lieyed that these difficulties can be reached
more economically by one source of power.
6. II would app ear to be essential that no sys-
TEN should be adopted which did not admit of
indefinite expansion with economy, and the
utilizing of the existing system of sewerage TO
It's fullest extent. In this connection the com
mittee believes that the ''Shone" system has
many advantages to recommend it. foremost
amongst which are that it would utilize our ex-
listing system almost in its entirety that it could
be extended irregulsrly in limited areas as in
crease of local population would demand that
interruption for repairs or from injury at any
point would not endanger the working of the
remainder.
Z. Assuming that the sewage matter has
been collected and delivered Mt some point of
outlet the question of its ultimate DISMISSAL
arises. This question involves practical prob-
lens of such magnitude that your committee
has avoided entering into details, or presenting
hasty conclusions, and would simply indicate
the methods which seem most feasible
s. 1t has been proposed: "a To run the sew
age matter into the river, without previous
treatment, at all seasons. (B.) 10 run the sew
age in without treatment at high water; and
in the dry season, having separated the solids,
to dispose of the fluids in like manner. (C) To
treat the sewage by precipitation, dealing
with the precipitate in an economic manner,
and discharging the fluid into the river at ali
seasons. 3D. To utilize all matter delivered at
the Outfall in irrigation, after the manner of
sewage farms successfully operating else
where; such treatment as may be deemed neces-
sary being applied in this process
9. Regarding the practical application and
feasibility of any one of these methods or any
combination, your committee believes that the
matter can only be determined by plans care
fully prepared and estimated. Your committee
however, would state that it considers any pro
posal to discharge sewage matter, previously
undesirable, if possibly avoidable. First. BY
violating an admitted principal of natural law
which would maintain the original purity of ali
streams and rivers second, by perpetuating an
third, by inllicting on others, if not now GER
tainly in the future, these evils of which we
ourselves at present complain.
10. 1t seems evident that a system of sew
age farming IN sacramento, which shall
operate successfully at all seasons must be care
fully considered and perhaps tried experiment
ally, the natural conditions of our city and the
surrounding country being ssuch as to oppose
grave difficulties during the rainy season.
IL. For this reason, your committee believes
that the practical and economic solution of this
question will be found in a system which shall
treat the sewage matter mechanically and
chemically, by filtration and precipitation :
utilizing the refuse in some economic manner,
and discharging an apparently harmless and
iitllu the river at all
seasons.
II. Your committee is OF the opinion that.
whatever system may be adopted, it is essential
that the city shall own the premises, with suf-
ficient ground attached to enable it mt all times
to conduct the necessary processes independ-
emily of any outside ass stance.
IS. 1t is understood that the cooperation of
persons culiyating land in the vicinity of these
works would add largely to the economy of the
operation but the committee believes that it
would be injudicious to rely on such cooper
alton to any extent.
Pending the inauguration of q successful sys
TEN as herein outlined, your committee advises:
/. The rigid enforcement of existing laws
?. Proper provision for thorough and effecrual
flushing of existing sewers
3. The rigid inspection and frequent cleaning
of cesspools: with, in the case of uncemented
vaults, the removal of adjoining soil which may
have been contaminated, and in all cases the
disinfection of the emptied receptacle.
4. In the absence OF apparatus, the property of
the city, the committee recommends that pri-
yate owners Of eXcayators and cleansing ap-
paratus be licensed At nominal figure and
placed under the local sanitary authority, for
the purpose of obtaining a uniform standard of
efficiency and a fixed rate of charges for sery-
ices rendered.
5. That the proper authorities take measures
to have specific plan prepared, which will in
clUde system of sewerage for the city, with
provision for outfall and disposal so that the
same can be acted on, or the probable cost being
obtained. the proposition might be submitted to
the people.
In conclusion your committee desires to ex-